** World Day of menstrual hygiene: a crucial issue for women displaced in North Kivu **
On May 28, the World Day of menstrual hygiene day marked an opportunity to raise awareness and promote worthy living conditions for women around the world. In this year, attention is particularly turned towards North Kivu, the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of Congo, where the UNFPA (United Nations Population Fund) alerted to an alarming situation concerning the menstrual hygiene of displaced women.
** An alarming observation **
During a mission to Beni, Noemi Dalmonte, assistant representative of UNFPA, revealed that less than 2 % of the needs for menstrual products for displaced women were covered. This particularly worrying figure underlines the extent of the humanitarian crisis in this region. Women, often forced to flee quickly, find themselves devoid of essential hygienic products, which generates situations of discomfort and shame. Dalmonte shared a poignant testimony: “A woman who flees without anything and has her period two days later lives in shame and total discomfort”. This observation, although tragic, must challenge us on the need to recall the fundamental rights of women, even in crisis contexts.
** Social and psychological implications **
The absence of adequate solutions in terms of menstrual hygiene is not only limited to physical health. She has deep repercussions on the dignity and psychological well-being of women. In addition, the UNFPA highlighted the lack of menstrual education in displaced young girls. This gap can contribute to early and sometimes disastrous decisions, such as unwanted pregnancies, often occurring in vulnerable environments such as refugee or host families.
The phenomenon of stigma linked to the rules can also have wider social impacts. Young girls, ignoring their bodies and the changes that are made there, can find themselves isolated, which strengthens gender inequalities and limits their access to education. It is essential to recognize how menstrual hygiene is part of larger public health, education and human rights issues.
** A call to action **
The UNFPA evokes the distribution of only 11,000 menstrual hygiene kits for this year, a figure that many will judge derisory in the face of the growing needs of the displaced population in North Kivu. This observation launched an urgent appeal to the international community, humanitarian organizations and governments, so that they implement innovative and sustainable measures, aimed at strengthening the urgency of this “silent but crucial emergency”.
What initiatives, apart from the simple supply of products, can be envisaged to approach the question as a whole? Teaching menstrual education in camps could be a useful first step. In parallel, it is a question of supporting programs which aim to restore the dignity of women through community dialogues, support spaces and empowerment opportunities.
**Conclusion**
World Manstrual Hygiene Day reminds us that the issues related to menstruation go far beyond biology. They affect the fundamental rights of women, their dignity and their place in society. The situation of women displaced in North Kivu is a striking example of the way in which humanitarian crises exacerbate already present vulnerabilities. It is imperative that the actors concerned are mobilizing to develop adapted and holistic responses, in order to meet this urgent need and to restore the respect and humanity of these women.
The road is strewn with pitfalls, but each step towards the recognition of these challenges is a step towards a future where each woman, regardless of her circumstances, will have access to worthy and respectful living conditions.